Don't bring your dollars to the Taj Mahal, they are no longer accepted

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/17/world/asia/17fbriefs-...

India: Tourist Sites Refuse the Dollar


By REUTERS
Published: November 17, 2007

The Ministry of Culture has begun insisting that tourists visiting the country’s monuments, including the Taj Mahal, pay the entrance fees in rupees rather than in dollars. Entrance to many sites for foreign tourists is priced in dollars and then converted to rupees, but the ministry has been losing tourism revenue as the dollar slid more than 12 percent this year against the rupee. The government had fixed a $5 entrance fee for World Heritage sites like the Taj Mahal and Humayun’s Tomb and $2 for other monuments at a time when the dollar was worth about 50 rupees. It is now worth around 39 rupees. The new rate for Heritage sites is 250 rupees, meaning a foreign tourist will pay the equivalent of about $6.50.

[demnan]

1. Our dollar is worth shit

I wonder how the true conservatives take this.

[Ian David]

2. On the other hand, they're willing to trade nuclear technology for mangoes. n/t

[rodeodance]

7. WE-THE us IS WILLING TO TRADE NUKE TECH FOR MANGOES

[Ian David]

13. Yes, and in violation of the non-proliferation treaty, too. n/t

[Deja Q]

3. We give them jobs yet they won't accept our dollars?

Tut tut.

[Angela Shelley]

4. They don´t accept the dollar

Why not?

Because the United States is having immense economical and political problems, causing problems for the rest of the world.

Not only US citizens recognize the chaos.

[hisownpetard]

5. So, if you want to drop some dollars at the Taj Mahal, you need to go to the one in Atlantic City.

[babylonsister]

9. There's always one.

[hisownpetard]

10. Hehehe...

[LeftCoast]

6. Well, do we accept Rupees at our national monuments?

What's the big deal?

[babylonsister]

8. Dollars used to be legal tender-that's the difference. nt

[hisownpetard]

11. I was so upset when I was at the Taj Mahal in India and they refused to accept my dollars that I

used my cell phone to call Customer Service to complain. It took a long time to
get connected, and then I waited on 'Hold' forever. Finally, someone answered, but
I couldn't understand a word she said! Evidently, they had outsourced my phone call
to N. Carolina...

[AZ Criminal JD]

12. So what

If you can afford to visit India then what difference is there if you pay $5 or $6.50? And what difference is there whether you pay in rupees or dollars? I have been to the Taj Mahal and it is cheap no matter what currency they are using.